


The Coffee Conundrum

by er_writes



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Bending (Avatar TV), Coffee Shops, Fluff, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:29:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27979635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/er_writes/pseuds/er_writes
Summary: Zuko takes Iroh to Starbucks to give him something new: coffee.
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 33





	The Coffee Conundrum

“Where are we going?” Iroh asked, adjusting his seat belt so it wasn’t so tight around his stomach.   
Zuko pressed his foot gently to the brake as the light turned red. “I told you Uncle, it’s a surprise.”   
“I don’t like surprises,” Iroh retorted. “If I ask a question I want it to be answered with the answer. I don't want someone to reply: It's a surprise.”  
“Too bad,” Zuko said, pressing on the gas pedal, turning the steering wheel as he made a left. “So stop trying to pressure me into telling me where we're going.”  
“Hey, can't blame me for trying,” Iroh said, looking out the window for clues of where Zuko might be taking him.   
“I took the back roads,” Zuko said in a sing-songy voice. “Staring out the window isn’t going to help. It’s just going to make you look like a freaky old man.”   
“Zuko, you already know i’m a freaky old man.”   
Zuko gave a small laugh as he turned right on the next exit.   
Iroh reached towards the radio but Zuko swatted his hand away. “No music.” Zuko ordered.   
Iroh frowned. “Why not?”   
“Well first of all, the music you listen to is bad and second, all music on the radio is bad,” Zuko answered, placing his hand back onto the steering wheel.   
Iroh frowned again and crossed his arms, pouting.   
Zuko rolled his eyes and then focused them back on the road. Out of the corner of his vision he saw Iroh quickly glance at him and then made a quick gab for the radio controls. Again Zuko batted his hand away and Iroh narrowed his eyes.   
“Respect your elders! I am older than you, I am in charge!” Iroh commanded.   
Zuko kept his eyes on the road. “My car, my rules.”   
Iroh opened his mouth to reply but then he crossed his arms and frowned.   
“Besides,” Zuko said, his tone softening. “We’re here.” 

Iroh gazed up at the tan building. “Where exactly is here?”   
“Starbuks!” Zuko said with enthusiasm that his uncle didn't quite express.   
“Yes Zuko, I can read.” Iroh said, pointing to the green sign with the Starbucks woman on the front. “But as I asked before. Where is here? What is Starbucks? Why are we here?”   
“Starbucks is a coffee shop,” Zuko explained as he opened the door and motioned for Iroh to enter.   
Iroh looked at his nephew who wore a broad smile on his face and then decided to walk into the building.   
The inside was nice and cozy with a creamy brown colored wall paint and green counters. There were three tables spread across the floor and a glass display case showing the tasty pastries. A chalk board behind the counter listed the items that you could purchase. Coffee keurigs stood on the countertops and workers with green aprons wore smiles that were just fake enough that you wouldn’t notice how they were really feeling, and stood behind cash registers taking orders from customers.   
“I brought you here so that you try something new,” Zuko continued. “Instead of just regular old tea.”   
“First of all tea is wonderful,” Iroh defended. “And second. You're sure you didn’t bring me here so you can flirt with Sokka?”   
A blush rose to Zuko’s cheeks as he looked over at the counter where a young man with a wolf tail struggled to find change for a ten dollar bill.   
“No,” Zuko replied. “Now don’t embarrass me.” He straightened his clothes and ran his hand through his hair. His hand fell over his scar and he scowled.   
“You look fine Zuko, now let's have some Coofe.”   
“Coffee.”   
“Whatever.” Iroh walked towards the open register and looked at Sokka with a broad smile.   
“Hello Sokka, my nephew speaks very fondly of you-”   
Zuko pushed his uncle backwards, his face now so red his scar blended in with his skin. “Um. Hi Sokka, sorry about my Uncle-”   
“It’s ok,” Sokka said, his own cheeks turning red.   
“So,” Zuko started. “I’ll have a-”   
“What do the sizes mean?” Iroh asked. Zuko groaned, now regretting bringing his uncle here.   
Sokka gave him a polite smile. “What do you mean?”   
“Well,” Iroh said. “The sizes are short, tall, grande and venti.”  
“Yes?” Sokka asked.   
“What do they mean?”  
“Well they are the sizes for the cups. Short is the smallest and venti is the largest.” Sokka said, showing him the actual cups.   
“That's ridiculous,” he exclaimed. “If short is the smallest it should be named small, or kiddy. If it's the largest it should be called large.”   
“Well I didn’t name them sir-” Sokka started.   
“And that is very dismissive to the cups,” Iroh interrupted. “How would you feel if instead of being called small you were called short. Is that not rude?”   
“Uncle cups are just plastic objects they don’t have feelings-” Zuko rubbed his temples and looked at Sokka apologetically.   
“Just because it's an inanimate object doesn’t mean it can’t have feelings,” Iroh retorted.   
“That's exactly what it means!” Zuko exclaimed. He took a deep breath and gave an irritated look at Sokka who bit his lip in an attempt to hide a smile. “I’ll have a coffee, three splashes of milk and a teaspoon of sugar with a glazed donut please.” Zuko looked towards Iroh.“What do you want to order Uncle?”   
Iroh looked at the menu. “What's a frappuccino-?”  
“Oh for heaven’s sake.”

Zuko looked at his Uncle who sat down next to him at one of the tables gazing intently at the Salted Caramel Mocha Coffee Frappuccino that he ordered. He then poked the top of his Coffee Cake.   
“Why is it called Coffee Cake-”   
“Do I look like Google to you?” Zuko asked, rubbing his eyes. “Just try it. You’ve been staring at your food for five minutes, come’on.”  
Iroh swirled the straw in his drink. He then sniffed it and held it up to the light.   
“Uncle you're supposed to drink it, not guess how many coffee beans it took to make it.” Zuko sighed, dipping his pinky in the whipped cream and licking it off his finger.   
“This was made with beans?!” Iroh pushed the drink further away from him and stuck out his tongue in disgust.  
“Just drink it!” Zuko banged his head on that table and gave a long agitated sigh.   
Iroh grabbed the drink and slowly brought the straw to his mouth. He closed his eyes tightly and plugged his nose, which got an eye roll from Zuko. He then slurped the straw and slowly gulped it. His eyes went wide as he took another sip. He then took a fork and jabbed at the coffee cake and shoving a big bite into his mouth. His eyes looked like they were glowing.   
“So?” Zuko asked.   
“Well for starters,” Iroh took a big gulp of his drink. “This crapachich-”  
“Frappuccino.” Zuko corrected.   
“It's just coffee flavored milk and cream and it’s fantastic! And this coffee cake tastes nothing like coffee but of cinnamon and it is light and fluffy and wonderful!”   
Zuko wore a broad smile as he watched his Uncle slurp down the caffeinated drink and shove the pastry down his throat.   
Just as Zuko dipped his bagel in his coffee and took a bite, his uncle slammed his cup on the table which was now empty and ate every last crumb of the cake.   
“Sokka,” he shouted. “Give me another round!”   
“Uncle!” Zuko exclaimed.   
“Oh, sorry Zuko,” Iroh said. “Sokka give me another round please.”   
Zuko frowned at him. “Really?”   
“What?” he stirred the straw in his empty cup with a frown. “It was really, really good and I want another one.”   
Zuko shook his head in disapproval.   
“What’s wrong with another cup?” Iroh asked, talking faster than he usually does. “I’m totally fine and can totally handle another cup-” he wiped his head around to Sokka who was handing change to a woman with a toddler in her arms. “SOKKA-!”  
Everyone in the store froze and turned their head over at Zuko’s table.   
“First coffee,” Zuko explained. “I think it’s time to leave Uncle.”  
“But I want to stay and have more coffee,” Iroh replied. “It makes me feel all awake and alert.”   
“Yeah that’s called caffeine and it's not good for you, especially for your age.”   
Iroh pouted before standing up and walking over to the counter where Sokka stood. “Thank you for the coffee and I will be coming back.”   
Sokka smiled, “Ok sir, it was nice having you!” Sokka leaned in close to him. “How was your first cup of coffee?”  
“It was fantastic! Who knew that something could actually be better than tea?”   
“Ok Uncle, lets go,” Zuko said.   
Zuko walked out of the store with Iroh who yelled to people walking by that they must try coffee.   
“So,” Zuko said, sliding into his car, “how was the surprise?”   
Iroh buckled his seatbelt and closed the door behind him and smiled up at Zuko. “It was the greatest surprise ever.”   
Zuko smiled back at him before starting the car and focusing his eyes on the road. “I know.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guyes! This is my first fic, please leave comments!


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